For the first time in theaters in the United States and presented in a brand new restoration, OCEAN WAVES is a Studio Ghibli “slice of life” release about the changing relationship of two friends after the arrival of a transfer student at their school.

** Short Film GHIBLIES: EPISODE 2 to precede the feature presentation**

Rarely seen outside of Japan, Ocean Waves is a subtle, poignant and wonderfully detailed story of adolescence and teenage isolation. Taku and his best friend Yutaka are headed back to school for what looks like another uneventful year. But they soon find their friendship tested by the arrival of Rikako, a beautiful new transfer student from Tokyo whose attitude vacillates wildly from flirty and flippant to melancholic. When Taku joins Rikako on a trip to Tokyo, the school erupts with rumors, and the three friends are forced to come to terms with their changing relationships.

Critic Quotes:

“Ocean Waves makes itself into something special, and kind of magical, and so proves very much a Ghibli gem.” – The New York Times

“…a gorgeously realized and deep emotional film of quiet elegance.” – The Playlist